DKSG

Sigma surprised the world by releasing the first constant f/1.8 zoom lens, the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens.

The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens is a wide aperture zoom created for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors. On a 1.6 crop sensor it’ll be the equivalent of a 28.8-56mm f/1.8 lens. The focal length makes the lens perfect for landscapes, portraits, wedding, studio, close-up and street photography.

A fixed f/1.8 aperture on a zoom lens is something unheard of. Most zoom lens from Canon and Nikon has a fixed aperture of f/2.8. This new Sigma lens offer more than a stop of extra light. I think it will be great for achieving bokeh effect while at the same time still offer some zoom capability.

The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. No news on the price or availability date. Personally, I’m hoping that it won’t be too expensive. This would be a good lens to have in the bag.

Canon is now allowing its DSLR users to try out popular Canon lenses before purchasing them in the newly launched Canon Lens “Try and Buy” Programme. This is the first time a camera brand launches such programme in Singapore.

The selected lenses currently available under this programme cater to a wide range of photographic genres such as portraiture and landscape photography. They include popular lenses such as the EF50 f/1.2L, EF70-200/2.8L IS II, and the EF8-15/4L Fisheye zoom. Canon will be looking into expanding the selection depending on the demand and popularity of this new programme.

For a nominal fee, interested users will get up to two full days (excluding pick up and return dates) to try out their lenses of choice. This allows users to try out the lens and make an informed decision before investing in the perfect lens to suit them. Participants of the programme who wish to own the lens model they have tried can enjoy a discount on the purchase of the extended warranty for the same lens model. The discount is equivalent to the nominal fee charged when they borrowed the lens.

This is a pretty interesting move by Canon. In the past, DSLR owners usually try out the lens by renting them from Camera Rental Shop before making the purchase. The pricing is roughly the same as most lens rental.

For full details and pricing of the lens, visit the Canon Lens “Try and Buy” website.

Award-winning National Geographic Photographer, Joe Riis, will be in Singapore next week to hold an exclusive photography seminar and workshop to share his vast array of experiences, and to provide some practical tips to local photographers.

Born and raised in South Dakota on the Great Plains, Joe, a wildlife photojournalist, completed his first feature for National Geographic Magazine at the age of 26. The prized photo of the Gobi bear of Mongolia, the rarest bear in the world snapped using the camera trap technique that has since been perfected by Joe to capture close-up wildlife shots. Joe’s photography work has earned him several awards, including an Emmy in 2011 for his pronghorn cinematography which was featured in the National Geographic Channel Great Migration series.

Photography Workshop
Date: 5 April 2013, Friday
Time: [Session 1] 9am – 12pm OR [Session 2] 3pm-6pm
Venue: Singapore Zoological Gardens

Photography Seminar
Date: 7 April 2013, Sunday
Time: 10am – 12 pm
Venue: LASALLE College of the Arts

Both the seminar and the workshop are free. However, only the first 200 registrants will get to be a part of this exclusive seminar, and out of these 200, 40 lucky seminar participants will get a chance to participate in a private Photography workshop conducted by Joe at the Singapore Zoo.

To sign up for the workshop and seminar, simply download the registration form and email to register@thisisanagram.com.

Sony South East Asia is organising its biggest Sony Digital Workshop ever for photography beginners, enthusiasts and professionals in Singapore. Titled “10 Professionals / 13 Sessions”, Sony has invited 10 established lensmen to share more about their craft and discuss topics such as portrait photography, photojournalism and flash photography.

Some of these renowned speakers include:

- Veteran National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita, who has received numerous awards throughout his 30 years in the industry, is known for epic stories that cover the landscapes and legends of Asia.

- Professional photographer Manny Librodo, who has achieved worldwide fame with his particular style in digitally retouching portrait photography. In 2009, he was named by Scott Kelby as one of the five best photographers in the world.

- Multi-awarded and internationally recognised young director Pepe Diokno, who was mentioned as one of the world’s 100 exceptional emerging film makers by UK’s Phaidon Press. Recipient of the Venice Film Festival’s Lion of the Future Award in 2009.

For more details and registration, visit www.sony.com.sg/sdw1013.

PS: Sorry, I should have posted this earlier. Seems like one of the timeslot for the first event has been fully booked.